


A Failed Escape

by Burgie



Category: Star Stable Online
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-08-24
Updated: 2017-08-24
Packaged: 2018-12-19 09:10:30
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,111
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11894562
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Burgie/pseuds/Burgie
Summary: Eden fails to escape from Darko's clutches. Eden belongs to sso-eden-dawnvalley on tumblr.





	A Failed Escape

Eden could only stare up at the huge pink crystal. The figure inside twisted her heart, and she clenched her fists around Phoenix's reins. Fortunately, her Soul Steed didn't seem to mind, for he, too, was far too busy staring up at the dark figure trapped inside the crystal. Like an insect in amber, only this poor creature hadn't been there for anywhere near as long. And the feeling...

It was like being back at the ancient tree again. Waves of despair, hopelessness, and exhaustion flooded out from the crystal, all emanating from that point inside where the girl could be seen. Eden struggled to stay awake, and Phoenix tossed his head as though he, too, was struggling.

"Anne!" Eden called, and the sound of her voice was so loud in such an empty space. She trembled, glad that she hadn't spooked Phoenix. She hoped that her voice hadn't gotten anyone else's attention, though.

"I haven't heard that name in a long time," said a sad voice in Eden's head, and the wave of darkness that crashed over Eden was so strong that she would have fallen to her knees had she been standing. Phoenix, to his credit, remained standing, though his legs trembled. Eden petted his mane, finding comfort in the gesture. It gave her the strength to look back up at Anne.

"I've come to rescue you on behalf of the Soul Riders," said Eden. Anne chuckled, and Eden could have cried at how sad it was.

"You're too late," said Anne. "There is no hope. Garnok is too strong."

"No, there's always hope!" Eden cried. "You can't give up, Anne! Jorvik needs you!"

"Then they should have tried harder to get here." At this new voice, Eden shivered, and Phoenix turned around with a snort. He glared at the man striding out of the shadows beside the cave mouth, and Anne gave a sad little cry.

"Darko," said Eden, determination settling over her. Maybe it was just because she wasn't looking at the crystal anymore, she didn't know, but suddenly the feeling of despair was gone.

"I was wondering if I'd ever see you again," said Darko, the spurs on his boots jingling as he walked. "Eden Dawnvalley. Such a pleasure to see such a pretty face again."

"Let her go," said Eden, knowing that it was useless. But if she could just get him talking...

"Hm. I don't think so," said Darko. "She is our insurance, just in case our other plan falls through."

"What does that mean?" asked Eden. "Are you going to turn her into the next Dark Rider?" Because honestly, with how Anne sounded, it wouldn't be hard to change her loyalties. She was already worn down.

"Oh, Eden, did you really think that that would work?" asked Darko. "You can't distract me by getting me to talk. And you can't free Anne. I'm sorry, but your friend is staying here for now." He leaned over his cane, lips curled up in a smile.

"You won't win," said Eden. "You have no idea how strong the Soul Riders are."

"And you have no idea just how strong I am," said Darko. He twirled his cane, and Phoenix shuffled back a few steps as the tip of the now-flaming cane was slammed into the ground. Eden murmured soothing words to him through their bond, trying to stop him from bolting. But, as the nature of Darko's spell was revealed, Eden reconsidered her actions. Bolting seemed like a pretty good idea right about now.

Darko laughed as huge, thick purple tentacles towered up in the air from seemingly nowhere.

"Garnok," Eden whispered, trembling as the realisation sank in. Because of course it was him. Even trapped beneath the ocean, it made sense for Garnok to have the ability to punch through to Pandoria. And for Darko to be able to summon him.

"Yes," said Darko, grinning. "Say hello to your old friend, Garnok."

"Eden, we have to run," Phoenix told her. Eden didn't need to be told twice. Turning Phoenix around and sparing only a thought for Anne, Eden spurred her mount into a gallop and they raced through the caves, dodging tentacles and Shadow Seekers and the burning mushroom spores. The miasma of darkness around Anne had sapped her energy, so that Eden was running on adrenaline alone. She could tell that Phoenix was doing the same, with the way foam flecked his sides. 

But, despite his obvious terror, Phoenix did not act like a bolted horse. He ran as fast as he could without throwing Eden off, and allowed her to steer him around and over obstacles. As they jumped through the portal at last, Eden closed her eyes and allowed her heart to beat in sync with Phoenix's. This was the true magic of the Soul Rider.

But, when she opened her eyes, Eden gasped and Phoenix nickered. Tentacles flailed in the air ahead of them, the tips whipping the air with sharp cracks that echoed back to Eden in the stillness. She shivered.

"Hold on," said Phoenix, and, though his sides heaved and his legs trembled, he quickly picked up speed into a gallop as they raced down the path back to the other portal, dodging the Pandorian flames and geysers and Shadow Seekers. They could have flown, but Eden knew that Phoenix simply did not have the energy. And anyway, the geysers would have hurt his precious wings, or else the tentacles would have grabbed them. Even if they were not physically attached, the wings would have dissolved or shattered into a million pieces of sparkling mist. Eden had seen that in a terrifying vision that had seen her awaken at three in the morning with a pounding heart and shaking hands. She hadn't slept well after that.

But at least, Phoenix managed to zip through the portal just as a tentacle tried to close around Phoenix's back hoof. But even now, in the Secret Stone Circle, Eden could not relax. She knew that Darko and Garnok were coming.

"Eden? What happened, where's Anne?" asked Alex. But Eden was too busy dismounting Phoenix and trying to stand on wobbly legs.

"Someone is coming," said Fripp, his big ears twitching. "We must close the portal, now!"

"It's Darko and Garnok," said Eden, walking over to the keystone. "They're coming, they..."

"...are already here," Darko finished for her, stepping off a living platform of tentacles. Eden felt ice go down her spine as she took a step back. This was wrong. Darko and Garnok being here was like seeing a vampire or a demon in a church. Fripp's actions didn't surprise her in the least when he leapt onto the pedestal holding the keystone.

"Begone from this place, Darko! You do not belong here," said Fripp.

"Oh, I am only here following a very important girl," said Darko, and Eden could feel his eyes on her.

"You cannot have her!" said Fripp. "Eden is far more important than you know."

"Oh, I know exactly how important she is," said Darko. "I only want her, Fripp."

"No," said Fripp, his little paws glowing with magic.

"Very well, then," said Darko. "If I cannot have her, I will just have to do this." And Eden gasped as a red glow surrounded the three Soul Riders, one by one, before it surrounded her as well. The magic held her in place.

"No!" Fripp cried, and cast a spell. Eden's eyes widened as the keystone was engulfed in a white-hot glow, and then Darko shouted something.

The next thing Eden knew, she was being dragged back through the portal with a thick tentacle wrapped around her waist.

"Phoenix!" she screamed, and her horse neighed but then was lost to her as Eden once more found herself in the star-filled space between worlds. She was held suspended over the ground by a tentacle, so she saw when Darko was blown back through the portal. She also saw the portal gate disappear, and she struggled.

"Well, that wasn't very pleasant," said Darko, getting to his feet and dusting himself off. "But at least I have you to keep me company."

"Why do you want me?" asked Eden. "And what happened to the portal?"

"Oh, that idiot Fripp destroyed it in an attempt to have me blown into the void," said Darko. "Fortunately, my master prevented that from happening." He patted the tentacle holding Eden. "It also caught me a prize." He grinned up at her.

"But why do you want me?" asked Eden.

"Because, like Fripp, I sense a greatness within you," said Darko. "I admit, there are rather more... selfish reasons for my taking you, too, but you are a powerful bargaining chip. Far greater than the other Soul Rider."

"Then you can let her go?" asked Eden. "You have me, why do you still need her?"

"Ah, but if I tell you my evil plans, you will be able to go right back to the druids and tell them of my plans," said Darko. "I will not make the same mistakes that were made with Justin."

"Are you expecting me to be rescued?" asked Eden.

"No, but I know that the druids will try," said Darko. "They do love to rescue their damsels in distress. Especially their beautiful ones." As he walked along the road, the tentacle carried Eden.

"Flattery will get you nowhere," said Eden, her cheeks turning pink.

"I was merely being honest," said Darko. "Truth be told, capturing you was not for entirely selfless reasons."

"You know, kidnapping girls is not the right way to go about getting a girlfriend," said Eden. Darko smirked.

"Would you be interested if I had asked you outright?" asked Darko.

"I..." Eden didn't know how to finish that sentence. Darko was very attractive, but he was evil.

"No, it would be foolish of you to do that," said Darko. He stopped walking, and the tentacle brought Eden around to hover in front of him. Darko reached a hand out and stroked Eden's cheek, cupping her face in his hand. She thought that he was going to kiss her, and, to her surprise, she wanted it. As Darko looked at her, heat smouldering in his eyes, Eden closed her eyes and leaned in to kiss him. But Darko chuckled and stepped away, his fingers leaving warmth on her cheeks. Eden's cheeks flamed, and she glared at him.

Darko walked on up the road, walking on tentacles to get him over the gaps. His coat was made of some protective material, protecting him from the geysers and Pandorian flames. Mercifully, the tentacle carried Eden around these geysers. She supposed that Darko didn't want his trophy to be damaged. At least, not if the light in his eyes was any indication.

At last, they exited through the portal into Pandoria, and Darko took Eden to the other side of the cave where Anne was still held prisoner. Eden gazed up at the pink crystal, cringing under the wave of despair.

"Oh, stop that!" Darko snapped at Anne, and the despair momentarily turned to rage. "Feisty." As Darko tutted, the tentacle placed Eden over some crystals, and then let her go. But she didn't fall. Looking down, Eden saw, to her despair, that her legs were encased in crystal.

"We're in his gallery now," said Anne bitterly in Eden's mind. And, apparently, in Darko's mind, too.

"Anne, don't flatter yourself," said Darko. "You are not my type, I prefer my women more powerful. Not weak and weepy. I need someone like dear Eden, here." A tentacle raised him up, and Darko leaned in to Eden's face again. Eden leaned away. Darko chuckled. "You silly girl, you are trapped. You cannot escape me here."

"Maybe not now," said Eden. "But someday. Someday, I will get out of here, and the Soul Riders and I will return to seek vengeance on you and Garnok."

"Tell me something she hasn't told me thousands of times before," said Darko with a roll of his eyes, gesturing to Anne. Anne sent out waves of rage again, but they were weaker now. Eden felt sorry for the poor girl.

But rather than responding, Eden decided to remain silent. Surely, Darko would grow bored of her if she wasn't reacting to his taunts. So, even when he cupped her face in his hand again, Eden only closed her eyes.

"Pity," said Darko. "You used to be fun. But I'll wear you down, Eden. Soon, you will be putty in my hands." Eden glared at his back as he finally left them alone. At least Anne would have company now.


End file.
